Evaluation of some phytochemicals in raw and cooked Ipomea batatas (Lam), (Sweet potato), Solanum tuberosum (Irish potato) and Dioscorea cayenensis (Yellow yam)

Cooking induces numerous phytochemical changes in food. This study is aimed at determining the amount of phytochemicals present in raw and cooked sweet potato, Irish potato and yellow yam. The amount of tannin, alkaloids, saponin, flavonoids and phenol were determined in raw and cooked samples of each food crop. The result showed that tannin, alkaloids, saponin, flavonoids, phenol contents was high in Irish potato and sweet potato but was far much present in Irish potato, while it was seen in minute quantity in yellow yam. The values obtained for each phytochemicals in each food sample raw and cooked respectively, in mg/100g were; Yellow yam: Tannins (0.10 and Nil), Alkaloids (2.00 and 0.51), Flavonoids (1.18 and 0.87), Saponins (2.00 and 1.02) and Phenols (0.72 and 0.10). Sweet potato: Tannins (0.32 and 0.28), Alkaloids (2.17 and 0.62), Saponins (2.10 and1.58), Flavonoids (1.28 and 0.97) and Phenols (1.42 and 0.72). Irish potato: Tannins (0.55 and 0.49), Alkaloids (2.17 and 0.81), Saponins (4.00 and 2.13), Flavonoids (5.00 and 2.91) and Phenols (2.00 and 0.91). The % loss of phytochemicals after cooking were; Yellow yam: Tannins (Nil), Alkaloids (74.5), Saponins (49.0), Flavonoids (26.3) and Phenols (86.1). Sweet potato: Tannins (12.5), Alkaloids (71.4), Saponins (24.8), Flavonoids (24.2) and Phenols (49.3). Irish potato: Tannins (10.0), Alkaloids (62.7), Saponins (46.8), Flavonoids (41.8) and Phenols (54.5). These results indicate that boiling of the samples seems to reduce their phytochemical contents as the raw samples showed higher amounts of the phytochemicals. The results also revealed that Tannins are more stable to heat across the 3 food samples, followed by Flavonoids, Saponins, Phenols and Alkaloids. The loss in some of the phytochemicals after cooking did not significantly affect the nutritional quality of the food samples.

High-Pressure Processing on Whole and Peeled Potatoes: Influence on Polyphenol Oxidase, Antioxidants, and Glycaemic Indices

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) inactivation in five whole and peeled Irish potato cultivars was investigated using high-pressure processing (HPP) at 400 MPa and 600 MPa for 3 min. PPO activity was significantly lower in most of the HPP-treated samples, while the highest PPO inactivation was observed after HPP at 600 MPa. No significant (p > 0.05) changes were observed on the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of all the HPP-treated potatoes. Regarding individual phenolic acids, chlorogenic acid was decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in all studied varieties with a concomitant increase (p < 0.05) in caffeic and quinic acid. Similarly, ferulic acid was also increased (p < 0.05) in all studied varieties after the HPP treatment, while there was a variation in rutin and 4-coumaric acid levels depending on the cultivar and the sample type. Anthocyanins in the coloured whole potato varieties (i.e., Kerr’s Pink and Rooster), tentatively identified as pelargonidin-O-ferulorylrutinoside-O-hexoside and pelargonidin-O-rutinoside-O-hexoside, also exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) higher levels in the HPP-treated samples as opposed to those untreated. Glycaemic indices of the potatoes treated with HPP did not differ with the corresponding untreated cultivars.

Food Security Communication: An Investigation into the Influence of Radio Programmes on Irish Potato Farming in Nakuru County, Kenya

The Government of Kenya recognizes Irish potato as one of the food security and nutrition crops together with maize and rice (GoK, 2017). This study sought to investigate the influence of radio programmes in promoting Irish potato farming as a contributor to food security in Nakuru County. The study looked at the period between 2012 and 2015 when most radio stations started programmes on agriculture. Purposive sampling method was used to identify four sub-counties in Nakuru County namely: Kuresoi South, Kuresoi North, Molo and Naivasha. A census of forty-eight farmers registered with the National Potato Council of Kenya between 2012 and 2015 were interviewed. Eleven agricultural extension officers from the sampled sub-counties were interviewed as key informants. The study established that Irish potato farmers listened and applied skills acquired from agricultural radio programmes to improve their farming leading to food security in Nakuru County. Information inaccuracy was revealed as one of the challenges during the study. Radio should, therefore, provide accurate information on specific varieties for specific regions so that Irish potato farming flourishes and nourishes Nakuru people.

Regressive evolution of an effector following a host jump in the Irish Potato Famine Pathogen Lineage

In order to infect a new host species, the pathogen must evolve to enhance infection and transmission in the novel environment. Although we often think of evolution as a process of accumulation, it is also a process of loss. Here, we document an example of regressive evolution in the Irish potato famine pathogen (Phytophthora infestans) lineage, providing evidence that a key sequence motif in the effector PexRD54 has degenerated following a host jump. We began by looking at PexRD54 and PexRD54-like sequences from across Phytophthora species. We found that PexRD54 emerged in the common ancestor of Phytophthora clade 1b and 1c species, and further sequence analysis showed that a key functional motif, the C-terminal ATG8-interacting motif (AIM), was also acquired at this point in the lineage. A closer analysis showed that the P. mirabilis PexRD54 (PmPexRD54) AIM appeared unusual, the otherwise-conserved central residue mutated from a glutamate to a lysine. We aimed to determine whether this PmPexRD54 AIM polymorphism represented an adaptation to the Mirabilis jalapa host environment. We began by characterizing the M. jalapa ATG8 family, finding that they have a unique evolutionary history compared to previously characterized ATG8s. Then, using co-immunoprecipitation and isothermal titration calorimetry assays, we showed that both full-length PmPexRD54 and the PmPexRD54 AIM peptide bind very weakly to the M. jalapa ATG8s. Through a combination of binding assays and structural modelling, we showed that the identity of the residue at the position of the PmPexRD54 AIM polymorphism can underpin high-affinity binding to plant ATG8s. Finally, we conclude that the functionality of the PexRD54 AIM was lost in the P. mirabilis lineage, perhaps owing to as-yet-unknown pressure on this effector in the new host environment.Author SummaryPathogens evolve in concert with their hosts. When a pathogen begins to infect a new host species, known as a “host jump,” the pathogen must evolve to enhance infection and transmission. These evolutionary processes can involve both the gain and loss of genes, as well as dynamic changes in protein function. Here, we describe an example of a pathogen protein that lost a key functional domain following a host jump, a salient example of “regressive evolution.” Specifically, we show that an effector protein from the plant pathogen Phytopthora mirabilis, a host-specific lineage closely related to the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytopthora infestans, has a derived amino acid polymorphism that results in a loss of interaction with certain host machinery.

Chemical Evaluation of Mumu Formulated from Pearl Millet, Irish Potato and Sesame Flour Blends

An investigation into anti¬-nutrient compositionof mumu, a traditional dish in Benue State, Nigeria, was carried out. Formulation of blends was based on different levels of roasted pearl millet flour (RPMF), boiled Irish potato flour (BIPF), and roasted sesame seed flour (RSSF). The three ingredients were combined in the following ratios: RPMF 100 (control), 70:20:10, 65:25:10 and 65:20:15 of RPMF: BIPF: RSSF, respectively. Mineral bioavailability was evaluated by [Oxalate]/[Ca], [Phytate]/[Ca], [Phytate]/[Fe] and [Phytate]/[Zn] molar ratios of the different blends of mumu were investigated, to which only Fe showed limited absorption. The anti-nutritional constituents showed that concentration of phytates>alkaloids>oxalates>total phenols, with values ranging from 24.22-24.93 mg/100 g Phytates, 4.15-4.81 mg/100 g alkaloids; 0.39-0.78 mg/100g oxalates; 0.00-0.01 mg/100g total phenols. The consumption of mumu is encouraged as it contains minerals important to the body, nonetheless, Fe supplementation is suggested.

An Analysis of Household Consumers’ Awareness, Perceptions, Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Irish Potato Procurement and Consumption in Urban Areas in Cameroon

The aim of this study was to measure the effects of townspeople’s origin and acculturation on Irish potato procurement and consumption in Cameroon. It is part of the logic of developing strategies for the introduction and diversification of urban dietary practices, to reduce hunger and undernourishment in urban areas. The study plans to discover new dishes and make them culturally and traditionally acceptable following local tastes and preferences. To provide a snapshot of Irish potato city dwellers’ consumers’ characteristics, the study used a cross-sectional design. The cross-sectional sample is made up of 180 subjects, taken in each of the 12 associations; aged at least 10 years, of people, originated from Irish potato-producing areas or non, chosen in Yaoundé city, i.e. 6 associations per category. They must have spent at least 2 years in the association, that is to say, that they have experience of urban life and have stabilized their food supply mode. The main idea was that subjects from producing areas are consumers of Irish potato, following traditional food consumption patterns and concepts of food availability, while those from non-producing areas are consumers who progressively integrate and adopt potato dishes into their diets through the impact of acculturation and exposure. The first was chosen according to the sociocultural factors determining the nature of the traditional food intake in the production areas. All regions in which Irish potato was not produced were considered as non-producing areas. Results show that the predisposition of traditional food systems and preferences lead city dwellers to consume specific foods in particular ways; all the people interviewed consume Irish potato, but not at the same rate; Irish potato dishes vary and people from non-producing areas already eat some dishes like fried potato and chips at high scale. Intercultural associations could thus be an important channel for sharing Irish potato consumption information.

Bioactive, Antioxidant and Antidiabetic Properties of Cooked and Uncooked Irish Potato (Solanum Tuberosum)

Potatoes are considered very important staple and antioxidant-rich tubers in human diet. The present study evaluated the bioactive, antioxidant, antidiabetic and inhibition of lipid peroxidation properties of cooked and uncooked Irish potatoes. The samples were subjected to total phenolic (TPC), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total flavonoids (TFC), ascorbic acid (AsA) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity analyses using spectrophotometric method. Also Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition were assayed. The results revealed that there is no significant (p < 0.05) difference in TPC and TAC of the potatoes samples but there was a significant (p < 0.05) enhancement in TFC and reduction in AsA of the cooked potatoes. There is also dose-dependent inhibition in DPPH and α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes. The IC50 revealed that cooked sample has significant higher (p < 0.05) inhibition in the enzymes assay. The lipid peroxidation was also reduced upon incubation with Irish potato samples but higher inhibition was exhibited by the cooked potato. In conclusion, this study has shown that Irish potato can be a good functional food in the management of diseases.

Singing and dancing in the cruellest month: A reflection on theology and poetry in a time of COVID

This article explores what contribution poetry and the arts can make to the human experience in a time of pandemic. It argues that artistic productions can ‘enlarge the heart’ such that sorrow and anxiety are not removed or defeated but are, as in the biblical text, ‘woven […] into a larger imaginative story.’ This argument is made through close examination of three poems: T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land”, written in 1922 during the Spanish flu epidemic; “Quarantine” by Eavan Boland, set during the Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s; and Malcolm Guite’s “Easter 2020”.